U.S. patent application number 16/002288 was filed with the patent office on 2019-12-12 for vehicle lamp assembly having a bezek, lens and lamp housing with a micro mesh of holes in a side wall.
The applicant listed for this patent is Kenneth D. Knettle, Kyle P. Lucas. Invention is credited to Kenneth D. Knettle, Kyle P. Lucas.
Application Number | 20190376661 16/002288 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 68764597 |
Filed Date | 2019-12-12 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190376661 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Knettle; Kenneth D. ; et
al. |
December 12, 2019 |
VEHICLE LAMP ASSEMBLY HAVING A BEZEK, LENS AND LAMP HOUSING WITH A
MICRO MESH OF HOLES IN A SIDE WALL
Abstract
A vehicle lamp assembly comprising a lamp housing, a light
source, a lens, and a bezel. The light source is attached to and
supported by the lamp housing and the lens is spaced from the light
source. The lens is attached to and supported by the bezel. The
lamp housing, lens, and/or bezel include a wall with one or more
perforated areas that are defined by a micro mesh of holes. Each
hole in the micro mesh has a cross-sectional area that is less than
0.3 square millimeters. The micro mesh of holes provides airflow
through the vehicle lamp assembly to reduce or eliminate the
build-up of condensation inside the vehicle lamp assembly. The
micro mesh of holes may be backlit or arranged in a pattern to
enhance aesthetics or create a logo on the vehicle lamp
assembly.
Inventors: |
Knettle; Kenneth D.;
(Lapeer, MI) ; Lucas; Kyle P.; (Livonia,
MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Knettle; Kenneth D.
Lucas; Kyle P. |
Lapeer
Livonia |
MI
MI |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
68764597 |
Appl. No.: |
16/002288 |
Filed: |
June 7, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Q 1/30 20130101; F21S
43/50 20180101; B60Q 1/04 20130101; F21S 41/50 20180101; F21S 45/30
20180101 |
International
Class: |
F21S 45/30 20060101
F21S045/30; B60Q 1/04 20060101 B60Q001/04; B60Q 1/30 20060101
B60Q001/30 |
Claims
1. A vehicle lamp assembly comprising: a lamp housing; a light
source attached to and supported by said lamp housing; a lens
spaced from said light source; a bezel attached to and supporting
said-bezel lens; and at least one of said lamp housing, said lens,
and said bezel including a wall having at least one perforated area
defined by a micro mesh of holes, each hole in said micro mesh
having a cross-sectional area of less than 0.3 square millimeters,
wherein each hole in said micro mesh extends through said wall
along a hole axis from an interior surface to an exterior surface
of said wall, wherein a light source axis is arranged co-axially
with said light source, and wherein said hole axis of each hole in
said micro mesh is arranged at a hole angle that is greater than
zero degrees relative to said light source axis and less than
ninety degrees relative to said light source axis.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
hole angle is downwardly directed moving from said interior surface
to said exterior surface of said wall.
5. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
hole axis of each hole in said micro mesh is arranged at a
penetration angle that is greater than zero degrees relative to
said exterior surface of said wall and less than ninety degrees
relative to said exterior surface of said wall.
6. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
vehicle lamp assembly has an outboard half and an inboard half that
is closer to a centerline of a vehicle body than said outboard
half, and wherein said micro mesh of holes extend through said lens
and are positioned in said outboard half of said vehicle lamp
assembly with said hole axis of each hole in said micro mesh
pointing away from the centerline of the vehicle body.
7. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
hole axes of said holes in said micro mesh are arranged parallel to
each other and spaced apart by a hole centerline spacing that
ranges from 0.7 to 1.2 millimeters.
8. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
micro mesh of holes is backlit by at least one of said light source
and a backlight positioned adjacent to said interior surface of
said wall.
9. A vehicle lamp assembly comprising: a lamp housing; a light
source attached to and supported by said lamp housing; a lens
spaced from said light source; a bezel attached to and supporting
said lens; and at least one of said lamp housing, said lens, and
said bezel including a wall having at least one perforated area
defined by a micro mesh of holes, each hole in said micro mesh
having a cross-sectional area of less than 0.3 square millimeters,
wherein said bezel and said lens cooperate to define a first
internal lamp cavity and said bezel and said lamp housing cooperate
to define a second internal lamp cavity, wherein said light source
is disposed within said second internal lamp cavity, and wherein
said micro mesh of holes extend through said bezel to provide
airflow between said first and second internal lamp cavities to
reduce condensation.
10. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 9, wherein said
cross-sectional area of each hole in said micro mesh ranges from to
0.018 to 0.071 square millimeters.
11. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein
each hole in said micro mesh has a cylindrical shape and a hole
diameter that ranges from 0.15 to 0.30 millimeters.
12. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein each
hole in said micro mesh has a non-cylindrical shape.
13. A vehicle lamp assembly comprising: a lamp housing; a light
source attached to and supported by said lamp housing; a lens
spaced from said light source; a bezel attached to and supporting
said lens; and at least one of said lamp housing, said lens, and
said bezel including a wall having at least one perforated area
defined by a micro mesh of holes, each hole in said micro mesh
having a cross-sectional area of less than 0.3 square millimeters,
wherein said at least one perforated area is an array of holes that
ranges from 3 holes wide and 3 holes high to 25 holes wide and 25
holes high.
14. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
micro mesh of holes is formed by laser cutting.
15. The vehicle lamp assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
micro mesh of holes are arranged in a pattern that forms at least
one of a logo, letter, word, or words.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The subject disclosure generally relates to vehicle lamp
assemblies such as headlight assemblies and taillight assemblies.
More particularly, a solution for venting vehicle lamp assemblies
is disclosed to reduce or eliminate condensation inside vehicle
lamp assemblies.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This section provides background information related to the
present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
[0003] A wide variety of different vehicles are equipped with one
or more lamp assemblies to allow nighttime operation of the vehicle
and/or to provide signaling capabilities. Such light assemblies are
typically located on the exterior of the vehicle. In the automotive
industry, road-going vehicles are commonly provided with headlights
(also known as headlamps), taillights (also known as tail lamps),
indicator lights (also known as indicators), and running lights.
The headlights illuminated the roadway ahead of the vehicle while
the taillights and indicator fights illuminate to signal to other
drivers that the vehicle is braking, stopped (e.g. hazard
flashing), turning, or in reverse. The headlights, taillights, and
running lights also make the vehicle more visible to other drivers
during nighttime operation and during weather conditions that limit
visibility.
[0004] The vehicle lamp assemblies often comprise a lamp housing, a
light source, a reflector, and a lens. Some vehicle lamp assemblies
also include a bezel that secures the lens to the body of the
vehicle. The lamp housing, lens, and/or bezel typically form one or
more internal lamp cavities with the light source positioned inside
one of the internal lamp cavities. One problem that frequently
occurs in such vehicle lamp assemblies is that condensation can
build-up inside the internal lamp cavities, which can fog up the
lens and/or cause the light source, socket, and/or wiring harness
to corrode or short-out. Condensation within the internal lamp
cavities can therefore be detrimental to the aesthetic appearance
and functionality of vehicle lamp assemblies. Customer complaints
about condensation within the internal lamp cavities remains one of
the most common warranty claims for vehicle lighting
components.
SUMMARY
[0005] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure,
and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of
its features.
[0006] The subject disclosure provides for a vehicle lamp assembly
comprising a lamp housing, a light source, a lens, and a bezel. The
light source is attached to and supported by the lamp housing and
the lens is spaced from the light source. The lens is attached to
and supported by the bezel. The lamp housing, lens, and/or bezel
include a wall with one or more perforated areas that are defined
by a micro mesh of holes. Each hole in the micro mesh has a
cross-sectional area that is less than or equal to 0.3 square
millimeters (mm.sup.2). Advantageously, the micro mesh of holes
provides airflow through the vehicle lamp assembly to reduce or
eliminate the build-up of condensation inside the vehicle lamp
assembly. As a result, the vehicle lamp assembly disclosed herein
has greater reliability and performance throughout its service
life. In addition, the vehicle lamp assembly disclosed herein
improves customer perception of quality by reducing or eliminating
complaints related to condensation build-up inside vehicle lamp
assemblies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Other advantages of the present invention will be readily
appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to
the following detailed description when considered in connection
with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a vehicle equipped
with exemplary vehicle lamp assemblies constructed in accordance
with the subject disclosure;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an exemplary vehicle
lamp assembly constructed in accordance with the subject
disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 3 is an exploded front perspective view of the vehicle
lamp assembly illustrated in FIG. 2;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp
assembly illustrated in FIG. 2;
[0012] FIG. 5 is an enlarged side perspective view of a perforated
area of the vehicle lamp assembly illustrated in FIG. 2;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the
perforated area of the vehicle lamp assembly illustrated in FIG. 5;
and
[0014] FIG. 7 is an enlarged front perspective view of a perforated
area of another vehicle lamp assembly constructed in accordance
with the subject disclosure where the perforated area forms a
logo.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Referring to the Figures, like numerals indicate
corresponding parts throughout the several views.
[0016] Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure
will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are
skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as
examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a
thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details
need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in
many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit
the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments,
well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known
technologies are not described in detail.
[0017] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be
limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the"
may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises,"
"comprising," "including," and "having," are inclusive and
therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps,
operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the
presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
[0018] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on,"
"engaged to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to"
another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, attached,
connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening
elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is
referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to,"
"directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly
coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening
elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the
relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like
fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent"
versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term
"and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the
associated listed items.
[0019] Spatially relative terms, such as "inner," "outer,"
"interior," "exterior," "beneath," "below," "lower," "above,"
"upper," and the like, may be used herein for ease of description
to describe one element or feature's relationship to another
element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially
relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations
of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation
depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures
is turned over, elements described as "below" or "beneath" other
elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other
elements or features. Thus, the example term "below" can encompass
both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise
oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the
spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted
accordingly.
[0020] With reference to FIG. 1, a vehicle 20 is illustrated with
four vehicle lamp assemblies 22 that are constructed according to
the subject disclosure with one vehicle lamp assembly 22 at each
corner 24 of the vehicle 20. The corners 24 of the vehicle 20 and
therefore the vehicle lamp assemblies 22 are outboard of a
centerline 26 of the vehicle 20 that extends between a front end 28
of the vehicle 20 and a rear end 30 of the vehicle 20. The
centerline 26 extends from the front end 28 of the vehicle 20 in a
forward driving direction 32 and the centerline 26 extends from the
rear end 30 of the vehicle 20 in a reverse driving direction 34.
The vehicle lamp assemblies 22 are mounted to a body of the vehicle
20 (i.e., vehicle body 36). The vehicle lamp assemblies 22
positioned at the front end 28 of the vehicle 20 are configured as
headlights (also called headlamps) and the vehicle lamp assemblies
22 positioned at the rear end 30 of the vehicle 20 are configured
as taillights (also called tail lamps). These vehicle lamp
assemblies 22 are provided simply as examples. It should be
appreciated that the scope of the subject disclosure is applicable
to all vehicle lamp assemblies 22, regardless of their shape,
location on the vehicle 20, or function. By way of example and
without limitation, the teachings of the subject disclosure are
applicable to headlights (also known as headlamps), taillights
(also known as tail lamps), indicator lights (also known as
indicators), and running lights.
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 2-4, each vehicle lamp assembly 22
generally includes a lamp housing 38, a light source 40, a lens 44,
and a bezel 46. The lamp housing 38 is attached to the vehicle body
36. Although the lamp housing 38 may be made of a wide variety of
different materials, by way of non-limiting example, the lamp
housing 38 may be made of plastic or metal. The light source 40 is
attached to and supported by the lamp housing 38. For example, the
lamp housing 38 may include a socket 48 that receives and supports
the light source 40. The socket 48 may also electrically connect
the light source 40 to a wire harness (not shown) that operates to
provide electricity to the light source 40. It should be
appreciated a wide variety of different light sources 40 can be
used. By way of example and without limitation, the light source 40
may include one or more incandescent light bulbs, halogen light
bulbs, xenon light bulbs, high intensity discharge light bulbs,
and/or light emitting diodes and may be configured as a projector
lamp subassembly.
[0022] A light source axis 50 extends co-axially with the light
source 40. Depending upon the type of vehicle lamp assembly 22, the
light source axis 50 may be substantially parallel to and pointed
in the same direction as the forward driving direction 32 in the
case of a headlight, the light source axis 50 may extend
substantially parallel to and pointed in the same direction as the
reverse driving direction 34 in the case of a taillight, or
alternative may extend away from the centerline 26 of the vehicle
20 in other lamp configurations. The light source 40 is configured
to emit a beam of light along the light source axis 50; however, it
should be appreciated that the light source 40 may also emit beams
of light in other directions that do not extend along the light
source axis 50.
[0023] The lens 44 is spaced from the light source 40 with the
light source axis 50 intersecting the lens 44. The lens 44 is
designed to protect the light source 40 and the reflector from
environmental conditions (e.g., rain and snow) and from debris
(e.g., dust, sand, and gravel). The lens 44 has a lens perimeter 52
and is made of a light transmitting material, meaning that the
beams of light emitted by the light source 40 can pass through the
lens 44. In other words, the lens 44 is transparent or translucent.
Although a wide variety of different materials may be used,
examples of the light transmitting material include, but are not
limited to, glass, acrylic, and plastic. Depending upon the type of
vehicle lamp assembly 22, the lens 44 may be for example a
headlight lens or a taillight lens and may be clear, tinted, red,
orange, or combinations thereof. Optionally, the lens 44 may be
shaped to focus, direct, or scatter the beams of light emitted from
the light source 40.
[0024] The lens 44 is attached to and supported by the bezel 46 and
the bezel 46 attached to and supported by the vehicle body 36. In
the illustrated example, the lens 44 and the bezel 46 are
connection by a glue joint 47 where a rib 49 protruding from the
lens 44 is received in a glue channel 51 in the bezel 46. The bezel
46 is connected to the lamp housing 38 by glue, fasteners, clips or
other attachment mechanisms. Although a wide variety of different
materials may be used, the bezel 46 may be made of plastic. The
vehicle lamp assembly 22 has an outboard half 54 and an inboard
half 56. The outboard half 54 and inboard half 56 are not
necessarily separate components, but rather different spatial
portions or regions of the vehicle lamp assembly 22. The inboard
half 56 is closer to the centerline 26 of the vehicle body 36 than
the outboard half 54.
[0025] The bezel 46 and the lens 44 cooperate to define a first
internal lamp cavity 42 and the bezel 46 and the lamp housing 38
cooperate to define a second internal lamp cavity 58. The light
source 40 is disposed within the second internal lamp cavity 58. In
typical vehicle lamp assemblies 22, condensation (i.e., moisture)
can build-up or accumulate in the internal lamp cavities 42, 58 and
can fog up the lens 44 and/or cause the light source 40, socket 48,
and/or wiring harness to corrode or short-out. As a result,
condensation within the internal lamp cavities 42, 58 can be
detrimental to the aesthetic appearance and functionality of the
vehicle lamp assembly 22 and can lead to customer complaints and a
perception that the vehicle lamp assembly 22 is of poor
quality.
[0026] To address this problem, the vehicle lamp assembly 22 of the
subject disclosure includes a venting solution. With additional
reference to FIG. 5, the lamp housing 38, lens 44, and/or bezel 46
include a wall 60a, 60b, 60c with one or more perforated areas 62a,
62b, 62c that are defined by a micro mesh of holes 64. Each hole 64
in the micro mesh has a cross-sectional area 66 of less than 0.3
square millimeters (mm.sup.2). By way of example and without
limitation, each hole 64 in the micro mesh may preferably have a
cross-sectional area 66 of that ranges from 0.018 square
millimeters (mm.sup.2) to 0.071 square millimeters (mm.sup.2)
depending on the specifications (e.g., internal volume, wattage,
etc.) of the vehicle lamp assembly 22. Advantageously, the micro
mesh of holes 64 provides airflow in the internal lamp cavities 42,
58 of the vehicle lamp assembly 22 to reduce condensation within
the internal lamp cavities 42, 58. As such, the perforated areas
62a, 62b, 62c are configured to provide a certain volumetric
flowrate for the airflow through the internal lamp cavities 42, 58.
The perforated areas 62a, 62b, 62c may be configured to provide a
volumetric flowrate that enables the air in the internal lamp
cavities 42, 58 to be completely replenished (i.e., 100 percent
turnover) in 1 minute at a pressure differential of 0.7 pounds per
square inch (psi). For example and without limitation, if the
internal lamp cavities 42, 58 have a combined volume of 16 liters
(L), then the perforated areas 62a, 62b, 62c may be configured to
allow 16 liters (L) of air to flow through (i.e., enter and escape)
the vehicle lamp assembly 22 when pushed by a pressure differential
of 0.7 pounds per square inch (psi). Although other configurations
are possible, each perforated area 62a, 62b, 62c is an array of
holes that may range from 3 holes wide and 3 holes high to 25 holes
wide and 25 holes high and may cover, for example, an overall area
of approximately 6.45 square centimeters (cm.sup.2).
[0027] With additional reference to FIG. 6, each hole 64 in the
micro mesh extends through the wall 60a, 60b, 60c of the lamp
housing 38, lens 44, and/or bezel 46 along a hole axis 68 from an
interior surface 70 to an exterior surface 72 of the wall 60a, 60b,
60c. The hole axes 68 of the holes 64 in the micro mesh may be
arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart by a hole
centerline spacing 74. For example, the hole centerline spacing 74
may range from 0.7 to 1.2 millimeters (mm). The hole axis 68 of
each hole 64 in the micro mesh is arranged at a hole angle 76 that
is greater than zero degrees, but less than ninety degrees,
relative to the light source axis 50. As shown in FIG. 6, the hole
angle 76 may be downwardly directed, moving from the interior
surface 70 to the exterior surface 72 of the wall 60a, 60b, 60c, to
allow water to run out of the internal lamp cavity 58 through the
micro mesh of holes 64 under the pull of gravity. Alternatively,
the hole axis 68 may be arranged in a direction that extends
outwardly away from the centerline 26 of the vehicle 20.
[0028] The hole axis 68 of each hole 64 in the micro mesh is also
arranged at a penetration angle 78 relative to the exterior surface
72 of the wall 60a, 60b, 60c. As shown in FIG. 5, the penetration
angle 78 may be equal to ninety degrees such that each hole 64
extends perpendicularly through the wall 60a, 60b, 60c.
Alternatively, FIG. 6 illustrates an arrangement where the
penetration angle 78 of each hole 64 in the micro mesh is greater
than zero degrees, but less than ninety degrees, relative to the
exterior surface 72 of the wall 60a, 60b, 60c.
[0029] The shape of the holes 64 in the micro mesh may vary. For
example, each hole 64 in the micro mesh may have a cylindrical
shape and a hole diameter D that ranges from 0.15 to 0.30
millimeters (mm). Alternatively, each hole 64 in the micro mesh may
have a non-cylindrical shape, such as a cubic or other shape. As
such, it should be appreciated that the holes 64 in the micro mesh
need not necessarily have circular shaped openings as shown in the
illustrated example. In addition, it should be appreciated that
different configurations are possible where the micro mesh has
holes 64 of uniform size, shape, and/or spacing or where the micro
mesh has holes 64 of irregular (i.e., varying) size, shape, and/or
spacing. The micro mesh of holes 64 can be made using a wide
variety of different manufacturing operations. By way of example,
the micro mesh of holes 64 may be formed by laser cutting.
[0030] In the illustrated example, the lens 44 includes a first
perforated area 62a, the lamp housing 38 includes a second
perforated area 62b, and the bezel 46 includes a third perforated
area 62c. The micro mesh of holes 64 in the first perforated area
62a are positioned in the outboard half 54 of the vehicle lamp
assembly 22 with the hole axis 68 of each hole 64 in the micro mesh
pointing away from the centerline 26 of the vehicle body 36. In
accordance with this arrangement, the micro mesh of holes 64 in the
first perforated area 62a scavenge/pull air flowing along the
vehicle body 36 and past the lens 44 into the first internal lamp
cavity 42. The air entrained by the micro mesh of holes 64 in the
first perforated area 62a flows through the first internal lamp
cavity 42, passes through the micro mesh of holes 64 in the third
perforated area 62c, and is vented/discharged through the micro
mesh of holes 64 in the second perforated area 62b. Even when the
vehicle 20 is stationary, the perforated areas 62a, 62b, 62c
provide airflow through the vehicle lamp assembly 22 by allowing
air to flow into and out of the vehicle lamp assembly 22 due to
convection currents formed within the internal lamp cavities 42, 58
as a result of the heat generated by the light source 40. It should
be appreciated that the number, location, and configuration of the
one or more perforated areas 62a, 62b, 62c can be varied from the
configuration shown in the Figures and tailored to the
specifications of a particular vehicle lamp assembly 22. For
example, in the illustrated example the first perforated area 62a
is located below the light source axis 50 and the second and third
perforated areas 62b, 62c are located above the light source axis
50 to promote convection driven airflow through the vehicle lamp
assembly 22 when the vehicle 20 is stationary.
[0031] With reference to FIG. 7, the micro mesh of holes 64 may
optionally be arranged in a pattern 80 that forms a logo, letter,
word, and/or words. As a result, the micro mesh of holes 64 can be
used to apply branding, a part identification label, or authentic
designs to the lamp housing 38, lens 44, and/or bezel 46 in
addition to providing airflow through the internal lamp cavities
42, 58. The micro mesh of holes 64 may also be backlit by the light
source 40 of the vehicle lamp assembly 22 or a backlight 82
positioned adjacent to the interior surface 70 of the wall 60a,
60b, 60c. Such an arrangement increases the visibility of the micro
mesh of holes 64, particularly at night, which may be desirable
when the micro mesh of holes 64 are arranged in a pattern 80 that
forms a logo, letter, word, and/or words. In addition, backlighting
the micro mesh of holes 64 can be used to provide accent lighting
to the vehicle lamp assembly 22. Many of today's vehicles 20 have
lamp assemblies with lines of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are
spaced from the primary light source to provide accent lighting.
The vehicle lamp assembly 22 disclosed herein can provide a similar
visual effect without the cost and power consumption of a separate
line of light emitting diodes, while at the same time reducing or
eliminating condensation within the internal lamp cavities 42,
58.
[0032] Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure
are possible in light of the above teachings and may be practiced
otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of
the appended claims. These antecedent recitations should be
interpreted to cover any combination in which the inventive novelty
exercises its utility.
* * * * *